Saturday’s press releaseissued by the Department’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said that 8,742,700 pounds of beef were recalled because the company “processed diseased and unsound animals and carried out these activities without the benefit or full benefit of federal inspection.”

The products in question were produced between January 1, 2013 and January 7, 2014. That’s right, over a year’s worth of tainted beef went uninspected. Hopefully this wake up call will motivate, otherwise lazy-eaters, to seek out their local family-owned farms. You can find farms and farmers markets in your area by visiting EatLocalGrown.com.

Here’s the icing on the cake. Somehow, according to the FSIS release, the uninspected products ironically bear the USDA mark of inspection. The website states that recalled beef can be identified by the “EST. 527” present in the seal.

It’s becoming more logical by the day to entrust a small time farmer rather than a large corporatized institution overseen by a neglectful government agency. Farm Sanctuary’s Gene Baur pointed out that the USDA’s reasoning for this recall is somewhat puzzling, given the departments background. The founder of the animal rights group said, “The USDA in the past has explicitly said that diseased animals can be used for food.”

“I would like to hope that this is a new, stronger standard,” Baur said in regards to diseased animals being allowed into the food chain. Either way, Rancho Feed Corp. is a prime example of what happens when a business grows so large that it becomes disconnected from the consumer. “It’s still common and legal for diseased animals to go into the food supply,” Baur said.

A real American farmer wouldn’t spread disease to his fellow townsfolk despite whether or not it’s legal. You can thank the natural principle of camaraderie for that.

This recall is a Class I on USDA’s risk scale, which is defined as a situation “where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.” The press release states “the products are adulterated, because they are unsound, unwholesome or otherwise are unfit for human food and must be removed from commerce.” No illnesses have been reported at this point but that’s no reason to eat loosely.